Leesburg's new Splash Pad blasts off in Venetian Gardens

As Leesburg officials counted down the seconds that blared through the speakers, about two dozen children stood on the city’s new splash pad, waiting for the water to gush on.

“We’re here to get wet right,” shouted Derek Hudson, city spokesman, as he hyped the already eager children up.

At the 10 a.m. grand opening blast off, the water only started to trickle, creating slight disappointments in some of the children’s voices.

But less than a minute later, it had built up to full blast and had children screaming with delight as they fired water cannons at each other, bounced under and through donut sprayers, water jets and tunnels and set off water that rushed up through puddle pads by hopping and walking on them.

“I like running through the water,” said 5-year-old Aidan Argento, minutes before he dashed through a set on giant colorful rings that comprised a spray tunnel.

James Argento, Aidan’s father and a member of the city planning commission as well as a state prosecutor, said he usually takes his son to splash parks in Tavares and Orlando and it was nice to have one closer to home.

“This is great,” Argento said.

Clermont and Eustis also have similar splash parks.

The $426,000 splash pad, part of Rogers Park in Venetian Gardens and off of Dixie Highway, was approved by City Council members in September. The 2100 square-foot wet play area with an earthy color scheme is dotted with gecko images and is operated by 320 gallons of water per minute.

The 20 water features also include spinning wheels and an attraction called the Aneth Bloom, which is topped off with giant yellow petals used to rain water on those below.

But it was the water soaker that appeared to be the biggest attraction, at least every few minutes. With a giant orange 40-gallon ceramic basket sitting on top of a green stem, children could be seen standing and lying underneath it in anticipation, waiting for it to fill with water before tumbling over and dumping on those below.

“I've never seen anything like that,” said Tom Adams, who watched his two young children get drenched under the feature.

The Splash Park is adjacent to Kids Korner, a new playground built there in July of last year. Saturday’s grand opening also introduced residents to the park’s new pavilion that can be rented for special events.

With the weather starting off chilly early Saturday morning, Leesburg Mayor Bob Bone said he was concerned. But by the Splash Pad’s 10 a.m. opening, it was warm enough to take a dive into the park. Snow cones served at the grand opening had attracted lines.

“I hope you bring your kids and grandkids for many years to come,” Bone told the dozens of people who gathered for the grand opening.

The park is open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May through September and will be stationed with lifeguards.

Saturday’s grand opening also included a ribbon cutting ceremony, speeches by city officials and those involved in the project as well as the presentation of a $10,000 donation by the Leesburg Noon Kiwanis.

City spokesman Derek Hudson has said it is one of the early projects in the first of three phases associated with the reintroduction of Venetian Gardens as “the gem of the lakefront city.”